Eating dinner on Friday night, the FO managed to knock a chip off a tooth/filling leaving a sharp edge, and consulting his dental insurance people, it was arranged that we would call them on Sunday evening with our whereabouts, in the hope that they could fix up someone to do a repair on the Monday morning. A consultation with Dr. Google suggested that Nantwich would be the best spot for dentists on their list – not on our planned route, but only wee bit off.

Hence Saturday morning found us heading off smartish through familiar territory, in not altogether pleasant weather. We reached the feared Grindley Brook locks with not another boat in sight, and with the aid of the lockkeeper, whizzed down, grabbed a pint of milk as we passed the garage, and made it to the bottom for a latish lunch. With the rain stopped we pressed on, and ended up tying up just below Marbury Lock. Marbury is a nice village about three-quarters of a mile away, that in the past had a nice pub. The guide book had one phone number, Google and the lock noticeboard another, and neither seemed to work,

Needing the exercise, we walked up anyway, to find the pub heaving with people, but with no food. It was their last night before closing for “improvements” and the landlord & lady were busy packing up. The phone line had been cancelled etc. etc. So after a swift half, we walked back and cooked a rather late dinner.

Pressing on on Sunday morning found us passing Wrenbury Mill where the chief cook discovered a farm shop in the pub car park, thus replenishing supplies. A quick pit stop at Swanley Bridge Marina stocked up on some of the Captain’s favourite ice cream before heading down Hurlestone Locks, and turning Right rather than the originally planned Left at the junction with the Shropshire Union Canal, after another longish day moored up at Nantwich Aqueduct once again. An early night beckoned.